How to Raise pH in Hot Tubs

Your hot tub may be your saving grace for relaxation when you're ready to unwind. Hot tubs are great for easing pain and relaxing your muscles. Proper maintenance of your hot tub is required to ensure it continues to be a source of relaxation, which has everything to do with your hot tub's pH levels. When your hot tub's pH level is too low, it needs to be raised. Here's what you need to know about raising your hot tub's pH levels.

What is a pH Level?

A pH (potential hydrogen) level is the measurement of acidity in your water. The pH scale starts at zero and increases to 12, with zero being the most acidic. Your hot tub should maintain a healthy pH level between 7.4 and 7.6.

Why Did the pH Drop in My Hot Tub?

The pH level in a hot tub often decreases because of bather load, which occurs when a lot of people use the hot tub, and it translates to pollutants being in the water. Everyone has chemicals on their body, and when they enter the hot tub, the water washes a lot of these chemicals off. When these chemicals enter the hot tub, it decreases the water's pH.

Why is a Low pH in the Hot Tub a Problem?

A low pH in a hot tub is a problem because it causes chlorine inefficiency and can damage your hot tub and its equipment. If your hot tub exhibits a low pH, it's bad news because this is the perfect breeding environment for algae. Before this situation occurs, you need to know how to increase pH in hot tub.

How to Raise pH in Hot Tub

In order to raise the pH in your hot tub, there are different steps you can take to achieve the same goal.

Soda Ash

Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is the preferred method to increase your hot tub's pH levels because it has its own pH level of 11.4, which has the most effective results of increasing the water's pH. Be advised, that when you increase the water's pH level, you will also be increasing your water's total alkalinity (TA), and you can't raise the pH level without raising the TA level. Make sure the TA level in your hot tub remains between 80 and 120 parts per million (ppm).

Baking Soda

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is another popular method of raising the pH in a hot tub because it doesn't increase the water's TA as much as soda ash. The pH of baking soda is 8.3, which is tremendously lower than the pH of soda ash. If you choose to use this method, keep in mind that you will have to use a lot of baking soda to raise your hot tub's pH levels.

Now that you know how to raise pH in hot tub, you can make sure the water remains balanced. When you use baking soda or baking ash, you can't go wrong! These products are excellent ways to keep the water in your hot tub at a healthy balance.

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